A United States pastor, Israel Ford, has defended polygamous marriage after introducing his second wife to his congregation, describing the belief that a man should have only one wife as unbiblical.
Ford, associated with LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, announced his marriage to Shakayla Ford, formerly known as Shakayla Talley, in a social media post on Sunday.
The announcement was made during a church service attended by his first wife, Lydia Ford, who is also a pastor at the church, and Shakayla, a minister and fellow congregant.
In a video from the service, Lydia introduced Shakayla as her husband's second wife and described her as her sister in marriage. She told the congregation that the three were now in a polygynous marriage.
The announcement reportedly drew applause and cheers from some congregants, while others appeared surprised.
Ford later announced the marriage on Facebook, writing, “I would like to introduce to the world, my second wife, Shakayla Ford!”
He argued that the teaching that a man should have only one wife was not biblical but a belief passed down through society.
“As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,” he wrote.
The pastor urged followers to watch the church's sermon on the subject, which he said would be uploaded later in the week. He maintained that many pastors were unwilling to preach what he described as an unpopular truth.
Ford also said he had no intention of changing his position to satisfy public opinion.
“I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed,” he stated.
Acknowledging that the announcement could prompt some people to distance themselves from him, he said he accepted that possibility, adding that life was temporary and that they could all laugh about the matter in heaven.
Ford founded LifeWorks Church in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2009 with Lydia, his co-pastor's wife. The church's stated mission is to help families develop personal relationships with Christ, demonstrate their faith through their lifestyle and serve God through their time, talents and resources.
The church also describes Ford as a prophet and says people have received deliverance, healing and hope through prophetic messages.
Polygyny, the form of polygamy in which a man has more than one wife, is distinct from polyandry, in which a woman has multiple husbands.
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